The use of temporary bed space and corridor care at Treliske hospital is alarming. Following a freedom of information request, (FoI), the data shows there are 15 beds and 4 chairs used as temporary escalation spaces in the emergency department, and a total of 44 temporary beds across the wards (plus 2 at West Cornwall Hospital), in direct contradiction of the NHS guidance and CQC concerns, and indeed there is anecdotal evidence of poor conditions in the hospital due to the use of temporary escalation spaces.
The CQC inspection report into Urgent and Emergency Care, 29 August 2025, noted crowding in the Emergency Department with patients staying for extended periods in an environment not intended for patient care, and also noted the use of temporary beds elsewhere in the hospital to add capacity and ease flow through the emergency department. This despite the clear NHS England principle that: The delivery of care in temporary escalation spaces ...is not acceptable. And an RCN report which showed the detrimental impact of this care setting on patients and staff, and which called for total eradication of such spaces.
Despite this the FoI response indicates that there are no constructive plans to eliminate the use of temporary escalation spaces.
Cornwall is one of the Trusts with the highest proportion of corridor care with 19% of emergency department attendances.